OPINION
Many Leeds fans were impressed that Liam Cooper ignored the club’s medical team and refused to be stretchered off in the team’s 1-0 win at Sheffield United last weekend. They shouldn’t be. It was daft and the club captain appears to have exacerbated the knee injury he sustained early in the clash at Bramall Lane. In a Twitter exchange with a United supporter, Cooper made the shock confession that his injury could have been worsened after “both the physio and the doctor told me to get on the stretcher and I refused”. The player accepted he will have to “live and learn” with the consequences after the club announced on Wednesday night he will be sidelined for six weeks.
TBH mate both the physio and the Doctor told me to get on the stretcher and I refused.. Should have listened really but wanted to see how it was, but hey ho we live and learn.. #MOT https://t.co/n4I0z2DieV
— Liam Cooper (@LiamCooper__) December 5, 2018
Surely, Cooper is long enough in the tooth – he turned 27 in August and has accumulated 217 Football League appearances, most of them in the Championship – to have known better than the experts. He could have done untold damage by allowing bravado and pride to get in the way of what was best for his long-term health and the needs of a team creaking more than ever before from a crippling injury list. Yet, United fans are remarkably sympathetic to the skipper’s admission, perhaps partly because of his honesty and also due to the consistent excellence of his performances at the heart of the defence this season. The faithful have been delighted and surprised in equal measure by the transformation in Cooper since Marcelo Bielsa took the reins.
This Is Futbol has rounded up some of the best tweets below:
https://twitter.com/Christo51065520/status/1070425766201094144
https://twitter.com/AdamPaulBarlow/status/1070426138810429456
All the best with injury Coops, you have been more than a captain this season, a true leader of men and you have shown character & class on other matters away from football. Hopefully you will be back soon, fitter & stronger and ready to lead us back to where we belong. ALAW ?
— Paul Jackson (@pjacko2060) December 5, 2018
https://twitter.com/SahanDiasG/status/1070510888480759810
And I thought Berardi was the hard man of Leeds United Mot get well soon Captain ??
— Matt (@Matthew00641879) December 6, 2018
You stubborn mule coops…lol – get well soon bud ?
— Chris Payne ???? (@gingerstreak) December 5, 2018
Males! ?
— ?Thursday 17th October 2019? (@WACCOE) December 5, 2018
https://twitter.com/JonChez13/status/1070444128494911488
Even though you are injured you need to be with the lads when you can to fully support them. Need the boost from the Captain ??
— Liam (@Liamdestroyer39) December 5, 2018
https://twitter.com/AndrewjFarnaby/status/1070421666486988803